ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. clip — to cut
  3. firm — steady
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. fork — in a road
  6. clip — for paper
  7. bass — the fish
  8. firm — decided
  9. staff — employees
  10. staff — employees
  11. firm — a company
  12. bass — low music
  13. staff — a stick
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. drill — the tool
  17. foot — a measure
  18. drill — a practice
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. clip — a video
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. drill — army training

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com